A Man For All Seasons (Queen or Freddie Mercury Fanfic)

How the Other Half Lives: Rendezvous

Hello, all, thanks for reading this chapter, which has indeed been a long time coming. I hope it was at least somewhat worth the wait; please leave a vote if you are so inclined, and for those to whom this greeting applies, have a Happy Thanksgiving!

And of course, may the Great Pretender rest in peace.

They couldn't have asked for a more ideal backdrop. The soft breeze from across the gulf blew cool through the city rather than chilly. So clear and friendly was the sky above that the stark white sun hanging dead center seemed to be smiling. And that very morning, while drinking his tea, Roger could swear he had glimpsed a pod of dolphins below his hotel room window as they swam unusually close to the Louisiana coast: an omen of good things to come. No doubt about it, this was a perfect day for a miracle.

At this point in time, however, Roger was not thinking much about the sky, the breeze, or dolphins. He sat leaned forward in the Roosevelt's lavish Sazerac Bar with an old-fashioned gently perspiring in front of him, clenching his hands together so Brian would not notice them shaking. Since the nervous energy had to be expended, or else cause him to explode, he let his heels bounce discreetly against the chair legs to the beat of the soft jazz emanating from speakers in the wall.

Brian stopped pacing a moment and glared at him. "Would you cut that out?"

"What?" Roger frowned back.

"That tapping noise, it's driving me mad."

Rolling his eyes, Roger crossed his ankles. "Better?"

"Much. Thank you." The astrophysicist took another couple of steps, then halted again. "Has he reached out yet?"

"No. Not a word since the driver picked him up." Roger glanced at his phone. "I suppose we could call and make sure nothing's wrong."

"Roger, it's not even noon."

He blinked. "I know that."

"Let's start worrying when we actually have reason to," Brian chuckled gently.

"I just want him to be here; every second that ticks by is one less I have to see him." Roger patted a nervous little rhythm against the tabletop.

"Do you know what you'll say first?"

"To be honest, I think it will be a surprise if I can speak at all," Roger murmured, his insides writhing with anticipation. "What are you going to ask him?"

Brian shrugged. "It depends."

"On what?"

"On whether we've been had, and all these people really have been taking us for a ride this whole time, or-" he coughed, "or -not."

Roger snorted in frustration. "You know, the way you talk, I almost think you want this to be a hoax."

"Well-"

"It's not a bloody joke, Brian! You spoke to him on the phone! I saw him with my own eyes! Preus even said- he confirmed it to your fucking face! It's him!"

"He, Roger," Brian corrected him calmly. "It's he."

The drummer's eyes narrowed. "Fuck you."

"I'll know for certain today who's fooling who." He squinted at his phone screen for the time. "Could be any minute now, actually-"

The words had no sooner left his lips when the sound of footsteps started edging toward them outside the bar entrance. Roger jumped up. Brian froze. Nearer and near the thumps drew. Harder and harder Roger's heart pounded.

Seconds late one of the security guards appeared before them. Both men each let out a heavy sigh- Roger's in annoyance, Brian's in relief.

"Well?" Roger demanded.